What I Have Learned About Painting Blasters

While these early paint jobs made me feel like I accomplished something I knew it was time to step my game up. As part of that effort I wanted to do a quick overview what I learned this week and how to go from crappy things like the Bio-shot to things like what I'll share at the end of this entry. Here are the lessons I learned this week.

Lesson 1: Getting the tools right
Picking your primer is probably one of the most important decisions you can make as a painter. There is no best primer so you will need to try a few to see what you like. I use Krylon Cover Max Primer. The can says use it on everything....except plastic so go figure. This paint sticks right to the blaster no sanding needed. The can says it dries in 10 minutes but I have learned to give it a solid 20 minutes before I start handling it again. Nothing is worse than finger prints in your priming coat, seriously just be patient.

After you have your paint you will need brushes. I have cheap brushes and I have expensive ones too. I am not going to link my brushes but if you bought some of that Citadel paint from a local hobby or gaming store they should have some brushes too. I will say I would start with a variety pack so you have a good range of brush sizes.

Lesson 2: Picking Your Color Scheme
I think this is overlooked by most people but you gotta have a plan folks. It's fine do a blaster in black primer and all that but why go for boring black when you can make a purple, black and orange blaster and show off your taste.

Lesson 3: This Ain't Cheap
I figure the average blaster cost is about $20 some more some less. So your already a 20 spot in the hole. Now primer at $8 top coats at $7 to $12 per can and detail paint at $3 per color and you can quickly get to $65ish before you start painting. So this is a warning that it can get pricey, don't say I didn't tell ya.

Lesson 4: Patience is Painting
I would say the biggest thing between my early work and my latest stuff is I have a method and I am mostly patient. I wait for the primer to dry, I tape off areas I don't want painted on the current coat I am spraying and I am willing to hand brush details until they look right. So to sum up lesson 4, make sure you have free time to do it. I am sure it is easier the more often you paint but the more time you take the better the blaster can look.

Lesson 5: Feedback is Important
Not everyone will want to face Reddit I get that, but show your friends pictures of your work. Ask them for honest critiques on what they would like to see. My Nerf buddies tell me what they like and don't like and I take that into account as I try to improve. Listen the point is your trying and having fun, always live by R.T.E(Respect the Effort) and you will be cool.

Well that's really it, I had a blast painting this week and I now am confident I can make a pretty cool looking blaster that will turn some heads in season 3 of B.U.R.N.

Here is a link to my work from this week: BFU's Custom Blasters. As you can see a lot of progress has been made from my original work. Thanks everyone for reading and if you have any questions shoot an email to the Bay Area Nerf inbox and I will answer it back.